Why You're Not Getting Clients as a Wedding Planner (The Hard Truth)
Jan 9
10 min read
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You're great at planning weddings. You know you are.
You planned your cousin's wedding and everyone said it was the most organized, beautiful day they'd ever seen. You helped a friend for free and she cried telling you how stress-free you made everything. Maybe you've even gotten a few referrals from those - a friend of a friend, someone who saw photos and reached out.
But that's it. A trickle. Nothing that can sustain a business. Right now it feels more like a hobby.
Strangers aren't finding you. Or worse, they ARE finding you, and then not hiring you.
You've set up your website. You've posted on Instagram. Maybe you've even sent some cold emails or joined wedding vendor Facebook groups. Nothing's working.
So what's the problem?
It's your website.
I'm going to be brutally honest with you, because you need to hear this. I look at wedding vendor websites almost daily, and I can tell you exactly why couples are landing on your site and leaving without inquiring.
Your Website Looks Like You Threw It Together Yourself In a Weekend (Because You Probably Did)
Let's just call it what it is.
You picked a free Wix template. You swapped out the placeholder images for some photos from your cousin's wedding. You wrote a few paragraphs about yourself. You hit publish.
And the result looks... like exactly that. Only worse. Because you didn't spend any time thinking about what colors you should use or what your call-to-actions should say. Maybe there aren't even any.
You have mismatched fonts everywhere. Weird spacing. Vague service descriptions. Sections that feel cramped or randomly empty. Images that are all different levels of quality and style, that don't feel cohesive at all. It looks like a 5-year-old's art project.
I know what it feels like to not get clients and not know why. I wasn't always a web design expert. So I'm not telling you this to be mean. I'm genuinely trying to help.
Here's the problem: Couples are trusting their wedding planner with the biggest, most expensive, most important event of their lives. An event where every detail matters.
And your website (your ONE chance to make the perfect first impression), is literally screaming that you don't pay attention to, or worse, that you don't care about details.
If your website looks thrown together, couples assume your weddings will too.
The Wix Banner Is Killing You
That banner at the top of your free Wix website that says "This website was built on Wix. Create yours today"...
And your URL: yourname.wixsite.com/my-site-2...
I need you to understand what couples think when they see this:
"She won't even spend $15 a year on a real domain. What else is she going to cut corners on? Will there be food at my reception? Will my vendors actually show up?"
You're asking people to spend thousands of dollars on your services. And you won't spend the cost of one lunch to look professional. People notice. But you're too close to your business to see it yourself.
That math doesn't work for them. They leave. They hire someone else whose website looks like a real business. That didn't open last week. That cares about how they look to potential clients. That didn't throw their website together in 2 hours on a Thursday night after they got off work from their real job.
You Didn't Even Finish Building Your Website
I see this more than you'd ever even think.
Menu links that go nowhere, or go to the same page as three other links. A "Services" page that's blank or says "Coming soon." An "About" page with nothing on it, but"Hi, I'm Amy, welcome to my website!". Placeholder text you forgot to delete. "Lorem ipsum" still sitting there. Template headlines like "PERFECTLY PLANNED" and "STUNNING AND MEMORABLE" that you never replaced with actual words that say anything that you actually do.
One planner's site I saw recently mentioned serving couples in "the San Francisco area." She's based in India. She never even read her own website, and seemingly just changed the logo and called it a day.
You're a wedding planner. Details are literally your entire job.
If you can't proofread a 5-page website, why would anyone trust you to manage a 200-person wedding with 15 vendors?
Nobody Knows What You Actually Do
"Welcome! I'm so passionate about creating beautiful celebrations!"
Okay... what does that mean?
Do you plan Bat Mitzvahs? Full wedding planning? Day-of coordination? Destination weddings? Elopements? Do you travel or only work locally? What size of weddings? What type of clients?
I have no idea what you actually offer or who you work with. And if I can't figure that out in 5 seconds, I'm clicking back to Google and finding someone who tried harder to be clear.
Couples don't have the time or desire to decode your website. Tell them exactly what you do and who it's for. Be specific. "Day-of coordination for intimate outdoor weddings in Portland" is a thousand times better than "Creating your dream day!"
Your Prices Are a Mystery
"Inquire for pricing."
That's not mysterious and exclusive. It's annoying.
Couples aren't emailing 10 planners just to find out who's in their budget. They'll hire the one who actually gave them a number.
You don't need exact pricing for every scenario. But you need SOMETHING:
"Day-Of Coordination Packages starting at $1,500"
"Month-Of Planning from $2,500"
"Full planning typically ranges from $3,000-$8,000"
If you make people work to find out what you cost, they'll leave. No one is working to get information that should be obvious.
Your Website Doesn't Work on Phones
Pull out your phone right now. Open your website.
Can you read everything without zooming? Can you click the menu links and go to the right page? Do all the buttons work? Are things covering other things and you're confused about what you're looking at? Can you fill out the contact form without shouting profanities?
Over 70% of people will see your site on their phone first. They're scrolling Instagram, someone mentions needing a planner, they click your link.
If it's broken, cramped, or impossible to navigate on mobile, they're not coming back later on a laptop. They're gone. They're hiring someone else. And you'll never even know they existed, let alone were a potential lead that you lost.
You just see no one ever contacting you and wonder why you're not getting booked.
Your Portfolio Is Stock Photos (Or Doesn't Exist)
Your free template came with beautiful images. Elegant table settings. Romantic ceremony backdrops. Gorgeous floral arrangements.
And you left them there. Because you don't have real photos yet, or you never bothered to ask the photographers you've worked with to share any.
Here's the thing: Couples have seen those same stock images on dozens of other websites. They know they're fake. And if your portfolio is fake, why would they trust anything else on your site?
Or maybe you don't have stock photos. Maybe you just have nothing. An empty gallery. A "Portfolio coming soon!" that's been "coming soon" for 8 months.
It's okay to be newer. It's okay to have a small portfolio. But you need SOMETHING real.
If you've worked even one or two weddings, reach out to the photographers and ask for images. Most will let you share because it helps them too.
Ten real photos from two actual weddings beats a gallery full of stock images every time.
Haven't worked on a real wedding yet? Collab with some other vendors and plan a mock wedding so everyone has new portfolio images!
Here's What's Actually Happening
A couple needs a wedding planner. They Google it, or they click a link from Instagram, or a friend sends them your website.
They land on your site.
In 5 seconds, they see:
A Wix banner at the top
A wixsite.com URL
Generic text that could describe any business anywhere
No photos, low quality photos, or photos they already saw elsewhere and now they think you stole them
A site that looks like it was built by someone without eyeballs (no offense to people without eyeballs)
And they think: "This doesn't look legit. Next."
Then they find a planner with a clean, professional site. They inquire there instead.
Or They're Not Even Finding You At All
Everything above assumes couples are actually landing on your website. But what if they're not?
If your only traffic source is Instagram and the occasional referral, you're leaving money on the table. Millions of couples search Google for things like:
"wedding planner in Boise"
"day of wedding coordinator near me"
"how much does a wedding planner cost"
"do I need a wedding planner"
If your website doesn't show up for any of those searches, you're invisible to everyone except people who already know you exist.
This is where blogging comes in.
I know. Blogging sounds old school. But here's the thing: Google needs content to know what your site is about and who to show it to. A 5-page website with no blog and sparse content gives Google almost nothing to work with.
But a blog post titled "How Much Does a Wedding Planner Cost in Minneapolis?" or "10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Day-of Coordinator" tells Google exactly what you do, where you do it, and who you help. And as a result, sees you as an expert and a trusted source of information.
Write about what couples are actually searching for. Answer their questions. Be helpful. Over time, those posts start ranking, and suddenly strangers are finding you through Google. The people who are actively looking for exactly what you offer.
Blogging also helps with AIO and GEO and getting recommended by AI tools. I touch on it below but you can also read the full blog post here.
AI Is Changing Search (And You Need to Pay Attention)
You've probably noticed Google looks different now. When you search something, there's often an AI-generated answer right at the top, often before any of the regular results.
This is called an AI Overview. And it's changing everything about how people find businesses online.
Couples are increasingly getting their answers from AI, whether it's Google's AI Overview, ChatGPT, or other tools. If you want to get recommended by these AI systems, you need content on your website that answers real questions.
This is called GEO - Generative Engine Optimization. It's basically SEO for the AI age.
The good news is, the strategy is similar to traditional SEO: create helpful, specific content that answers questions your ideal clients are asking. Blog posts, FAQ pages, detailed service descriptions, etc, all help AI tools understand what you do and recommend you to the right people.
If your website is just a wall of boring text and a contact form, AI has nothing to pull from. You won't get recommended. You'll stay invisible. And not get booked.
This Is All Fixable
You don't need a $5,000 custom website. You need:
A real domain - $15/year. This is non-negotiable
A paid Wix plan so that embarrassing, amateur-looking banner disappears
Real photos only, even if you don't have many yet
Clear language about what you do and who you work with
At least a starting price so couples know if you're in their budget
A site that actually works on mobile
A blog with helpful content so Google (and AI) can find you
You can have real skills. Real passion. And real desire to succeed. But none of that matters if couples can't find you, or if they leave your website in 3 seconds because it looks like you don't take your own business seriously. Wedding professionals need to look the part. This is not your everyday local plumber's website. But too many wedding pros act like it is.
Need Help With Your Wix Site?
I specialize in redesigning DIY and amateur-looking Wix websites for wedding professionals. No bs, no endless meetings, no months-long timelines. Just a beautiful, professional website designed in a week or less, that makes you look like you know how to plan a wedding.
Check out my redesign and design services →
Or if you have questions? I'm happy to help. You can reach out here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why am I not getting wedding planning clients?
The most common reason is your website. Couples judge your attention to detail by how your site looks. If it's unfinished, has a wixsite.com URL, uses stock photos, or doesn't clearly explain what you do and what you charge, they leave without inquiring. Your skills don't matter if your website makes you look unprofessional.
How do I get my first wedding planning clients?
Start with your network. Friends, family, coworkers who are engaged or know someone who is. Offer to coordinate a wedding at a reduced rate in exchange for photos and a testimonial. Collaborate with photographers, florists, and venues on styled shoots to build your portfolio. And make sure your website actually converts the traffic you do get.
Why is no one visiting my wedding planner website?
If you're only getting traffic from Instagram and referrals, you're invisible to everyone else. Google needs content to know what your site is about. Without a blog or detailed service pages, you won't show up when couples search for planners in your area. Start writing posts that answer questions couples actually Google.
Do I need a blog as a wedding planner?
Yes. Blogging is how you get found on Google and recommended by AI tools. Posts like "How Much Does a Wedding Planner Cost in [Your City]" or "Do I Need a Day-of Coordinator?" help Google understand what you do and show your site to couples actively searching for those answers.
Should I put my prices on my wedding planner website?
Yes. Couples aren't emailing 10 planners just to find out who's in their budget. Even a starting price or range helps them know if you're a fit. "Day-of coordination starting at $1,500" is enough. You don't need exact pricing for every scenario.
How important is my website as a wedding planner?
Extremely. Your website is often a couple's first impression of you. And for strangers who find you through Google, it's their ONLY impression. A DIY site with broken links, stock photos, and vague descriptions tells couples you cut corners. A clean, professional site tells them you take your business seriously.
What should be on a wedding planner website?
At minimum: a clear description of your services, who you work with, your service area, starting prices or ranges, real portfolio photos, an about page that builds trust, and a simple way to contact you. Everything should work perfectly on mobile, and you need a real domain, not yourname.wixsite.com.
How do I show up in Google's AI Overview as a wedding planner?
Create content that directly answers questions couples are asking. Blog posts, detailed FAQ sections, and specific service descriptions give AI tools something to pull from when recommending businesses. This is called GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). It's basically SEO, but for AI tools instead of just Google.
